UK specialist lender Quantum Mortgages has launched a Business Development Academy designed to support staff progression from broker support roles into business development positions, as reported by The Intermediary.

The initiative was created by Harsha Dahyea, chief commercial officer at Quantum Mortgages, with a focus on building the next generation of specialist business development managers from within the company's existing workforce.

As part of the launch, Sara Mietusiewicz and Ebz Darko have been promoted to hybrid business development executives, operating across multiple postcodes in England and Northern Ireland through a flexible, cross-territory model.

Dahyea said the academy is designed to provide aspiring sales professionals with direct access to senior expertise. "The Business Development Academy gives aspiring salespeople the chance to learn from our top-performing national account managers, business development managers, and me," he said.

He added that the first cohort reflects the strength of the company's existing talent base. "I'm very proud of Sara, and Ebz. They've consistently excelled in their Broker Support roles and are the ideal first candidates to join our Business Development Academy," Dahyea said. "We're excited to work with them and are confident they'll achieve fantastic results with the support of our BDMs."

The programme offers a structured internal pathway for employees seeking to advance into client-facing commercial roles, combining mentorship from senior account managers with regional field experience across the UK and Northern Ireland.

The academy reflects a broader trend among specialist lenders investing in structured internal talent development as an alternative to external recruitment for business development functions.

Explore the full details of the Quantum Mortgages Business Development Academy in the complete article.